Own Genus: Quokkas are a genus of their own. It is believed that they and the swamp wallaby are both relics of separate lines of evolution from early browsing macropods.

Survivors: Quokkas are very well adapted. They are able to survive in an environment virtually devoid of freshwater by digging waterholes and feeding on succulent plants. They are also able to climb low trees.

They have excellent thermoregulation coping with temperatures up to 44 degrees Celsius.

Rottnest Island: The Dutch navigator Williem de Vlamingh arrived on Rottnest in 1696 and described the Quokka as "a kind of rat as big as a common cat". He then named the Island 'Rotte nest' (meaning 'rat's nest') and the name of the Island was eventually adapted to 'Rottnest'.

Quokkas are small macropods that are a genus of their own. About the size of a domestic cat, the Quokka has been classified as vulnerable and is only found in a restricted range in Australia.

Habitat

Quokkas are distributed throughout Rottnest Island, and a small area of the mainland in Western Australia. They choose to live in densely vegetated areas with moist conditions, however, they are able to survive in arid areas.

Quokkas are herbivores, meaning they do not eat meat, and eat plant life instead. Their diets mainly consist of native grasses and the leaves of succulent plants.

Breeding

Quokkas reach sexual maturity at 1-2 years of age; dependent on environmental factors such as food supply and weather.

In the wild, mating occurs in the height of summer, so when the joeys are born a month later it is cooler but there is still an abundance of food. In captivity mating can occur all year round. Gestation period is 27 days to where 1 young will be born. The young leave the pouch after 6 months and are weaned at 9-12 months.

Behaviour

Quokkas are largely nocturnal animals, meaning they are active at night. They tend to remain together in a territory in groups of 22-150. Social groups will gather at waterholes at night. Within these groups, males form a linear hierachy according to age.

We act for the Wild

Quokkas were once abundant on the Australian mainland but with the arrival of the dingo around 3,500 years ago and then foxes in the late 1800s their numbers were drastically reduced on the mainland.

Today they are showing signs of recovery on the mainland thanks to the Department of Environment and Conservation's feral-proofing operation.

The Rottnest population was more protected, due to its island location.

The biggest threat to Quokkas today is overfeeding from tourists, who often mean well, but create a diet problem for these little marsupials.

Rottnest is still home to a very strong population of quokkas. The Island Authorities have worked hard to eradicate foxes, and cats and dogs are not permitted on the island. Visitors may not drive cars and the whole island is supported by only ten motor vehicles, including rangers from NPWS.

Conservation Insurance Breeding Program:

These breeding programs are for species with a ICUN threat Status (Extinct in the Wild (EW) Critically Endangered (CR) , Endangered (EN) and Vulnerable (V). The breeding programs are controlled to ensure that the species are managed at a high genetic level, to provide a healthy and viable insurance population for the future.

Be for the Wild

Reduce your Carbon Footprint (by 25-40% by 2020)

Weather events such as tsunamis may become more frequent with climate change. A tsunami on Rottnest Island poses a massive threat to the bulk of the quokka population.

Save & Create Animal Habitats

Habitat degradation by feral pigs poses a threat in some areas of the quokkas range. As does prescribed burning and clearing of their forested habitat.